Of Quenching the Spirit, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The evil of Quenching the Spirit, in respect of the causes, whereof it is an effect. Several causes of it mentioned in particular. The evil of it as proceeding from those causes, discovered. The guilty expostulated with, and sharply rebuked.
SECT. I.
THat I may speak the more convincingly, and your hearts be the more affected with it, whose Consciences tell you that you are in any measure guilty of it, and that you may turn at Gods reproof, now to be dispensed to you, I will shew you what evil there is in it. And
1. What evil there is in it, in respect of the causes, whereof it is an effect.
2. What evil there is in it, in respect of the effects, whereof it is a cause.
SECT. 2.
1. What evil there is in it, in respect of the causes, whereof it is an effect. Do but consider, beloved, from whence it proceeds, and you will see there is abundance of evil it. For such as the cause is here, such is the effect. It is not from any good in any respect, that men quench the spirit, but whatever it is from, it is evil, and only evil, and quenching the spirit is from it as it is evil, and therefore must needs be evil too. Now in speaking to this, I shall prosecute the Metaphor of quenching the fire, as in the former particulars. Look then whence it is, or for what reason it is that men quench the fire, thence, and for the same reason it is (answerable thereunto) that men quench the spirit. Now when men quench the fire, or suffer it to go out, it is for some one, or other of these causes following.
SECT. 3.
1. Because they be asleep. Then their bodily senses are all bound up, so that they neither hear, nor see, nor feel any thing, then they lye still and cannot rise out of their beds, then they have no minde in fire or any thing else, and so cannot bring any more fewel, cannot stir up the fire, nor blow it; and this must needs be a cause you know, that the fire goes out, because while they be in this condition, they can do nothing at all to keep it burning, so that, by that time they awake, there is not many times so much as a spark left, or if there bee, that is all, 'tis nothing so much as it was when they fell asleep. Why just so it is, when men quench the spirit, 'tis because they are spiritually asleep, and so have all their spiritual senses bound up, so that they are sensible of nothing for the time, that is of any spiritual concernment: they neither hear, nor see, nor feel: dream they may, but they apprehend nothing (nothing spiritual I mean) in its reallity. They see no danger for the present, fear none for the future, as having not their senses exercised to discern good or evil; and while 'tis so, how is it possible they should take care of keeping the fire of the spirit burning in them? They cannot bring any fewel, they cannot stir up the fire, and so it must needs go out. Oh Sirs, if the spirit bee quenched in you, think with your selves whither it bee not because you are asleep. While Sampson slept, the spirit departed from him. While the foolish Virgins slept, their lamps went out; thence it was, that was the cause of it. Mat. 25.8. There was some light before, some heat and warmeth when they fell asleep, but when they awoke, their lamps were gone out, the light, the heat, and warmeth was all gone. True, there was not oyle enough in their vessels, but had they been awake, they might have gotten oyle, they might have gone to them that sell; but then it was too late, the fire was gone out, and Christ would not stay, therefore 'twas too late to get oyle. This was the effect of their sleeping, and for this they are called foolish Virgins. Oh how many such foolish Virgins are there! that are asleep, that lye snorting in their carnal security, when they should be getting oyle into their vessels, to keep their lamps burning! If one would know the reason, why they neglect the means, and do not exercise themselves unto godliness, as in former times; alas poor creatures, this is the reason, they are in a deep sleep, and what would you have of them? they know nothing of it, and cannot help it. They think all is well, or if they dream otherwise, it is but a dream, and they sleep on still. One would wonder what is the matter with many Professors, that heretofore were so zealous and active for God, taking all opportunities, and improving all advantages for the service of God, but now are grown cold, and dead-hearted, having no affection to any thing that is good, one would wonder, I say, what is the matter with such Professors, but if it bee considered, that they are asleep, the wonder will cease. If they were awake, it might be supposed, they would never suffer it to bee so; but being asleep, any thing may be any thing for them, they cannot help it. Heretofore being awakened by such a Sermon, such a sicknesse, as soon as ever they were awake, they began to bestir themselves, and oh! how zealous and active were they? how forward to every thing that is good? what ring-leaders in the waies of God? I remember the time, saith one, when such and such were the forwardest in all the Town, none were like unto them, so that they were ensamples unto all: I but now it is otherwise, they are fallen asleep, and have lost all sense of their condition; cry never so loud in their ears, nip them, pinch them, it doth not awaken them, they sleep now as the man upon the Mast in a storm, are secure under the thunder-clap, and hence it is that they do nothing. Now I beseech you, my beloved, reflect upon your selves, and consider. Is the Spirit quenched in you? and is it from hence that you are asleep? why consider then, I beseech you, is it not evil? Is it not evil that you should bee out of your senses? When a man is out of his senses, you count hee is in a miserable condition, though it bee but his bodily senses. What a miserable condition are you in then, that are out of your spiritual senses? Is it not evil that you should bee like those Idols, Psal. 115.6. that have eyes, but see not, ears, but hear not, noses, but they smell not, hands, but they handle not, feet, but they walk not? Oh the miserable condition that your poor souls are in, that are thus asleep! Oh the dreadful judgment and wrath of God that is upon you! For the Lord hath poured out upon you, the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, Isa. 29.10. When Christ spake of Lazarus his being asleep, they said, Lord, if he be asleep, he shall do well, Joh. 11.12. but none can say so of you that sleep thus, no, you are not like to do well. Bodily sleep is sometimes necessary and refreshing, but spiritual sleep is alwaies dangerous, sometimes deadly. The soul is still the worse for it, 'tis a spiritual Lethargy, 'tis a disease that tends to death; as Psal. 13.3. lighten mine eyes lest I sleep death. This makes persons neglect all. This hinders you from bringing in fewel, from stirring up the fire, from guarding it from that of an opposite quality, and so is the cause of your quenching the spirit. When Sampson slept, the Philistins came and cut off his locks, hee could not defend himself from them, then the spirit departed from him. So you, &c. This is the first particular.
SECT. 4.
2. Men quench the spirit, because they are going to sleep; being drowsie, and having a minde to go to bed and sleep, they either put out the fire, or suffer it to go out of it self. So Professors, when they have a minde to sleep in their sins, and to take their rest there, then they quench the spirit; either put it out, or suffer it to go out of it self. This is the reason; It is because they are secure, and would willingly enjoy that quiet and content they finde for the present in their sinful way, and therefore either go to bed to sleep, or else being a bed, and having slept already, but by some means or other are awakened, have a minde to sleep still, and therefore are angry with the means that awakened them, quarrel with reproofs and admonitions, slight the good motions and convictions of the spirit, and so compose themselves to sleep again, saying as Prov. 6.10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. Thus the Spouse, Cant. 5.3. So you, beloved, it may be you are not asleep, but you are sleepy, a spirit of drowsiness and slumber hath seized upon you; you are willing to sleep, lying down, and loving to slumber, Isa. 56.10. Or it may be you have been asleep, and are now awakened again, but you are troubled that you are awakened, that you have lost your sweet sleep, and therefore have a minde to sleep again, Yet a little more sleep, &c. Well, sleep on, as Christ said Matth. 26.45. but know, that so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man; Prov. 6.11. It's sad to be overtaken with sleep e're one is aware, but deliberately to set ones self to sleep, and that after several awakenings, Oh how vile is this! to set ones self to sleep, to put ones self into a sleepy positure? Farewel gifts, and grace, and spirit, and all, if you take this course. Oh! how canst thou sleep when thou hast so little Oyle in thy Vessel? and thy Lamp is ready to go out? What meanest thou O sleeper? said they to Jonah, and so say I to thee, thou drowsie Christian, What meanest thou? do'st mean to bee drowned? shall the light and life of the spirit be utterly extinguished in thee? Dost not see how the Waves and Billows begin to arise? How quickly will the waters over-flow thy soul, and quench the light of thy excellency, and glory of thy profession, unless thou speedily prevent it? See thy sin therefore, and be sensible of it. What doth this shew, but that thou takest pleasure and contentment in thy sinful condition? For wouldest thou bee willing to sleep in it else? and is that a condition for to sleep in? If thou wert troubled with a Lethargy, wouldest thou be willing to lye still, and not to be awakened? or rather would'st not have some to stand by thee to keep thee awake? Why this is a spiritual Lethargy that is upon thee, and if thou sleepest, thou dyest without remedy. And therefore awake, awake, bring more fuel, stir up the Coals, blow up the Fire, by thy slumbering it is almost quite gone out. Be watchful therefore, and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to dye, Rev. 3.2. This is the second particular.
SECT. 5.
3. Men put out the fire when it scorcheth, and they cannot endure the heat of it. So professours this fire of the spirit, when once it begins to scorch. This makes many quench it both in themselves and others.
1. In themselves, as when a man is in a Feaver, he cannot endure the fire, or any hot things. So professours when their light and knowledge, and convictions make them feaverish, then they take cooling things, then they endeavour to put them out.
2. In others; Thus they dealt with John Baptist, because he was not onelyonly a shining, but a burning light, thus with the Witnesses, Rev. 11. because they tormented them with the heat and fervour of their Doctrine. Now consider Sirs, whence is it that the fire of the Spirit should scorch? What doth this argue, that thou canst not endure the heat and fervour of it, but it is still a vexation and torment to thee? Is it not onelyonly to lust, that it is scorching? 'Tis scorching and painful indeed to Lust, but not to Grace. Oh if there were a gracious frame and temper of spirit in thee, the spirit of Grace would not bee too hot for thee. 'Tis a sign thou art too hot with lust and corruption. Sore flesh cannot abide the fire. But a gracious heart loves it, and takes great delight in it. Did not our hearts burn within us? (said they) q. d. Oh how good was it! Oh how comfortable! Saints never complain of extreams in grace and godliness; they complain not they are too hot, but rather still they are too cold. But thou on the contrary art lukewarme, and lovest to be so. Thou wouldst be neither cold, nor hot; not so cold as to do nothing, and not so hot as to do much. But know, that while it is thus, the spirit is quenched in thee, and this is the cause of it, and therefore Christ loathes and abominates thee; because thou art luke-warm he will spew thee out of his mouth, except thou repent. Be zealous therefore and repent, Rev. 3.19. This is the third particular.
SECT. 6.
4. Men quench the fire because they would save Fuel; When Fuel is chargeable and costly, then they would have but little fire, because they would spend but little Fuel. So Professours, when the means of Grace, the Fuel of the spirit grow chargeable to them. When profession proves costly, and Religion must live upon them, and not they upon Religion; this makes many quench the spirit. As now you see men must pay for their Chimneys, this makes men damme up their Chimneys, and keep less fire. When men see they shall bee rated and taxed, and fined for their Religion, this makes them abate of their zeal and fervency of profession, and at length give it quite over. Thus the young-man, he came with hot affections, but when Christ told him he must sell all, how quickly were they quenched! He goes away sorrowful, sorrowful that he could not be a Disciple at an easier rate, upon cheaper terms. Before he was jocund and merry enough, when he could have his Religion and his estate too, but now he was sorrowful; sorrowful, though hee kept his Estate, because hee did not keep his Religion with it, and it may be Conscience told him, there would be a sad reckoning for it in the end, when, because he would not pay for his Religion, he should be made to pay for his Estate. Oh how vile a thing is this! for a man to prefer his carnal things before Gods spiritual! A gracious heart accounts the Word and Ordinances worth thousands of Gold and Silver. So David, Psal. 119.72, 127. yea, so far was he from neglecting his Duty because it cost him something, that he would not offer to God that which cost him nothing. And the Jewish Martyrs were so far from being offended at their Religion because of suffering in their Estates, that they suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods, Heb. 10.34.
SECT. 7.
5. Men quench the fire when it makes the pot boil over, and they are loath to lose any of the Liquor in it, then they run in haste, and pull away the fuel, or throw water upon the fire, that it may burn more soberly. So Professours when the fire of the spirit is like to boyle out somewhat of a beloved lust, a darling corruption, that is very precious and dear unto them, then they bestir themselves in all haste to quench the fire, and cool the pot. Then throw away the fuel, there's too much praying, and too much preaching, too much adoe in matters of Religion, and less would serve by far, that so they may save their sweet lusts and corruptions. There is a filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness in the heart of man, James 1.21. the scumme and excrement as it were of a filthy and corrupt heart and life, Ezek. 24.6. which, before the fire of the spirit is kindled, is hardly discernable, much less separable, it is so incorporated into mans nature; but when the fire of the spirit comes, it makes it to boil up, so that it plainly appears upon the face of the soul; and sometimes God puts such efficacy into it, as to cause it to bee ready to boil over, the fire of conviction is so strong and vehement sometimes, as even to force out a beloved lust; but when it comes to this, Oh what bustling is there in a corrupt heart to quench the fire, that so the lust may be saved! How many carnal reasonings blowing upon the pot to cool it? What with-drawing of the fire from the pot, or the pot from the fire? with-drawing of duties and Ordinances from ones self, or ones self from Duties and Ordinances, so that the scum goes not out, but sticks to the pot, and is boiled in again. Now that you may see what a vile thing this is, to quench the fire of the spirit, rather than the scum and filthiness of sin should bee boiled out by it; See how God threatens it, Ezek. 24.6. Woe to the pot, whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it, therefore saith God, verse 11. set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brasse of it may be hot and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed. She hath wearied her self with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall bee in the fire. And see the next verse, where God sets down the cause, In thy filthiness is lewdness, i. e. obstinacy hath been the onelyonly cause that thou hast not been cleansed, thou wilt not be cleansed. I have kindl'd a fire that would do it, but thou opposeth the work of the fire, because thou wilt not be cleansed, and therefore in thy filthiness is lewdnesse, thou art come to an height, an excess of wickedness. Now see what God threatens for this, Because I have purged thee, (i. e. endeavoured, used means to purge thee) and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee, which is the most dreadful Threatning in the Book of God. Oh think of this, you whose corruptions are the more exasperated and enraged, the more light and conviction you have, even so enraged, as that when it comes to the point of purging out such a sin, and utter abandoning of it, then you endeavour by some means or other to put out the light, and slake the heat of your convictions, that so you may return to your former temper and course again.
SECT. 8.
6. Men quench the fire when it is like to discover them, as in time of war, or when thieves are abroad in the night, those that live in the Country, either shut their windows very close, or else put out Fire and Candle, that they may not finde the way to their houses. So Professo…s in time of danger, that they may not bee discovered by their light shining forth in their profession, as formerly, to the Adversaries of Religion, they either shut up the Candle in a dark Lanthorn, or put it quite out. What for fear, and what for shame, they are loath to be known to be the same men and women that they were before, and therefore quench the Spirit. Now is not this a most fearful fear? a most shameful shame? First, as for the fear, is it not a most fearful thing? a most fearful wickedness? to be afraid of man, and not afraid of God? Oh! if we did but consider it, we should be afraid of such fear, such fear as makes one afraid of doing his Duty, and not afraid of sinning against God; as if man could be more terrible than God, as if man whose breath is in his nostrils, could do us more hurt than the Almighty God. And as for the shame, is it not a most shameful shame? for it makes one ashamed of his glory, and to glory in his shame, as if it were a shame to bee reproached for doing his Duty, and no shame to Apostatize from it. As if there were more excellency and glory in the wayes of sin, than in the blessed wayes of God. No wonder therefore, that God hath said, the fearful shall lead the Van to Hell, Rev. 21.8. (Oh mark it) and that Christ hath said, Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my Words, in an evil and adulterous Generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels, Mark 8.38.
SECT. 9.
7. Men quench the fire, when 'tis like to set the house on fire. So Professors, when it comes to the fiery tryal, do therefore quench the spirit. Many Professors are not afraid of lesser sufferings, they can suffer many things, as Reproach, Contempt, Imprisonment, the spoiling of their Goods, and yet keep the fire burning still, those waters are not able to quench it; but when once it comes to the fiery tryal, then one fire puts out another, the fire of Persecution, the fire of the Spirit. Many are ready to be bound for Christ, but not ready to dye for his Name: And therefore Paul said to the Galatians, have ye suffered so many things in vain, that for fear of suffering a little more, yee will give over? and therefore he told the Hebrews, yee have not yet resisted unto blood. Now see what a vile thing this is. Had Christ been so choice of his blood, as not to have been willing to have shed it for us, if Christ had said: I could be content to suffer a little to save these poor Creatures, but I cannot dye for them; Oh! then we had perished to all eternity. Shall Christ shed his blood for us, and we think much to shed ours for him? Besides, shall we quench the spirit, rather than to loose our life? shall we chuse rather to lose our spiritual life, than our natural life? Moreover, is the fire of Persecution here, more terrible than the fire of Damnation hereafter? And yet hence it is that many quench the spirit, just as if a man should cut his throat, to prevent the cutting of his little finger. Oh therefore, &c. Better go maimed, with wounds, and scars, to Heaven, than whole without them, to Hell. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus, saith Paul, if we have wounds and scars in our bodies for Christ, they are the Marks of Christ, if otherwise, they are the Marks of the Devil, the Marks of the Beast; Better bear the Marks of Christ in our bodies, than the Marks of Antichrist, and the Devil, in our Consciences.